Instructors: 

1. Learn fundamental concepts, principles and theories of cellular and molecular biology, classical and molecular genetics, and animal physiology.

2. Learn how professional biologists go about the process of gaining new knowledge. Students will participate in and learn these scientific processes by a) formulating hypotheses to answer questions; b) designing and performing experiments to test hypotheses; c) collecting and interpreting data; and d) preparing written reports of their work.

3. Gain factual knowledge relating to evolution, cellular and molecular biology and molecular genetics.

This will be a challenging course. Attendance in lecture and lab will be essential for success. You are responsible for all class material and activities whether or not you attend and regardless of reasons for non-attendance.  In general, the textbook will provide you with basic information while lectures will cover material in more depth, introduce additional information and emphasize what is important.  Thus, the lectures and textbook readings are both essential components of the course and complement, but do not duplicate, each other.  The exams will draw from both sources.

It is important to note that students must pass the laboratory portion of this course in order to earn a passing grade in Biology 23.161.  Attendance in lab is mandatory.  An unexcused absence from laboratory will be severely penalized and more than two unexcused absences will result in a failing grade for this course. If you have a valid reason for missing a lab, you may be able to make it up by obtaining the instructors permission to attend another lab session later in the same week.

One written lab report will be required this semester.  This lab report should be a neatly typed (on paper, no e-mail) presentation of the results obtained in lab and, in some cases, answers to specific questions about the lab.  Late reports will be penalized 5 pts/day for the first week; after that reports will not be accepted. Although students will often work in small groups to collect data, it is imperative that all written work be produced independently and be in your own words. You will receive a short paper describing how to write a lab report and a sample lab report. Consult these resources carefully before writing your lab report.  When writing your report, be careful to avoid plagiarism, i.e., using someone else's words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Plagiarism includes copying from another student's paper or using wording that is very similar to another author's. If you are unclear about what constitutes plagiarism, speak with your instructor.

You will also deliver one PowerPoint oral presentation based on a laboratory exercise.  You will receive guidelines for an appropriate format of a scientific presentation.  The presentation will be prepared by your lab group, and each student should be prepared to deliver each section of the presentation.  

• Lab notebook (bound)

Laptop Computers and Wireless Connection to the World Wide Web

Each student will be expected to have a functioning laptop computer with wireless network connection.  With the laptop you will be able to make wireless connections to the Internet from within Hemenway Hall. The computers will be used in some, but not all, lecture and lab periods. We will use the laptops to analyze data in several of the lab periods. Please consult the laboratory schedule regarding when to bring your laptop to class.

The WWW contains many web sites with biology-related material and we will visit some of these sites in class during the semester.  A home page has been created for the Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology course which you will be able to access it through your computer.  The page will contain useful information including the syllabus, study questions, lecture notes, course updates, and links to interesting biology-related web sites. The page is located at http://www.framingham.edu/faculty/biology1

A Student CD-ROM and Website (www.campbellbiology.com/) comes as a supplement to the Campbell et al. textbook.  These resources contain interactive activities, videos, flash cards, quizzes, a glossary, and other activities that can be used to review topics that are covered in the textbook and lecture. To get the maximum benefit out of the Student CD-ROM/website you should begin your study by reading the assigned chapter(s) in the textbook. Then, at home, review the corresponding chapter(s) in the CD-ROM.  

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Exams:

Hour exams may include questions from both lecture and lab. Make-up exams will only be given in cases of major illness or extreme emergency and will require a documented excuse (e.g., a signed note from a doctor). Make-up exams will be essays and must be arranged with the instructor giving the exam.  Make-up quizzes and exams must be completed before the next regularly scheduled exam.  Note: No points will be awarded for extra credit work!

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Grading System:

 

Lecture	3 hour exams @ 100 pts each	300
	4 quizzes @ 20 pts each	80
	Final exam	175
Lab	1 lab written report	75
	1 lab PowerPoint presentation	40
	4 pre-lab write-ups @ 5 pts each	20
	Intro. to Equipment Graphs	10
	Osmosis and Diffusion Graphs	10
	Rat anatomy practical exam	10
	Genetics problem set	10
	Lab attendance and performance	50
Total		780

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